Predictions for GPs are not as important as the points a skater earns towards getting into the Finals. The Finals, however are important for the skater's resume. after all, it is the competition between la creme de la creme.

In SA Rachael needs a silver medal to ensure her consideration for competing in the Finals. I'm not sure any other skater can get enough points from the podium to compete in the Finals.

I'm probably the most unoriginal person in the world for saying she's my favorite skater, but seeing as I am not a die hard fan and the first time I ever saw her was at the 09 Worlds (Eurosport only shows euro and world champs), you can't blame me, that performance would have mesmerized anyone.

I'm in the fashion-biz and it's a professional side-effect to just judge and scrutinize everything to do with appearance (never mind the dresses, some of them are tragic beyond comprehension...)- body proportion (some skaters are really short, which doesn't necessarily mean they have a small shoe size, and if they don't wear nude tone covers over the boot, it shortens their legs so much that their torso looks disproportionally long, creating a silhouette not pleasing to the eye), hair (Rochette wore a scrunchie, a SCRUNCHIE at the worlds. I thought everyone has seen SATC, how wrong was I...), make-up (not enough, too much or unflattering). These are only a few aspects, a lot of skaters make a mistake in one of the areas but more often than not, if the dress is unflattering, good chance that hair and make-up go down the same road.

When I saw Yu Na take the ice before Dance Macabre, I thought thank god, someone actually gets it right - ideal size/proportion of body (from my designer graduating from art university point of view), beautiful neck, gorgeous asian facial features (killer cheek bones, almond shaped eyes, flawless porcelain skin) and a beautiful dress which fit her extraordinarily well (the kimono cut of the sleeves in particular, you can tell by the fit of that cut how much the garment costs, that's where you see the real quality). At that point it wouldn't really have mattered to me if she could skate or not (like with Kiira Korpi, she can fall a million times in one program and it wouldn't matter, she is the most beautiful skater in EU, in my opinion), she was already my fave. And then on top of it all she turns out to be this goddess of a skater... wow.

I've seen her with plainer make-up before in one of her adds (Samsung I think) and was surprised at how average she actually looks, but on the other had this is a credit to her for finding such a powerful stage look. And as far as I've read, she's supposed to be the most famous person in Korea, so if it's anything like Jackie Chan in China (not being able to go out in public), it's probably a good thing she can go out with hardly any make up and blend in without being bothered constantly by fans.

I think she looks great in either one of the pictures. If I had her skin I'd walk around with no make-up all the time. Wish her luck in SA and Vancouver

if it's anything like Jackie Chan in China (not being able to go out in public), it's probably a good thing she can go out with hardly any make up and blend in without being bothered constantly by fans.

I heard she's way beyond that point already.
I don't think she would be able to blend in anywhere in Korea, makeup or no makeup, without being swarmed by her fans unless she wears a full mask like a professional wrestler.
But then again, how can anyone blend in wearing a such a thing?